Comparison of blood lipid-lowering effects of olive oil and other plant oils: A systematic review and meta-analysis of 27 randomized placebo-controlled clinical trials

Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr. 2019;59(13):2110-2124. doi: 10.1080/10408398.2018.1438349. Epub 2018 Mar 7.

Abstract

Objective: We aim to report a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) on effects of olive oil consumption compared with other plant oils on blood lipids. Methods: PubMed, web of science, Scopus, ProQuest, and Embase were systematically searched until September 2017, with no age, language and design restrictions. Weighed mean difference (WMD) and 95% confidence interval (CI) were expressed as effect size. Sensitivity analyses and pre specified subgroup was conducted to evaluate potential heterogeneity. Meta-regression analyses were performed to investigate association between blood lipid-lowering effects of olive oil and duration of treatment. Results: Twenty-seven trials, comprising 1089 participants met the eligibility criteria. Results of this study showed that compared to other plant oils, high-density lipoprotein level increased significantly more for OO (1.37 mg/dl: 95% CI: 0.4, 2.36). Also OO consumption reduced total cholesterol (TC) (6.27 mg/dl, 95% CI: 2.8, 10.6), Low-density lipoprotein (LDL-c) (4.2 mg/dl, 95% CI: 1.4, 7.01), and triglyceride (TG) (4.31 mg/dl, 95% CI: 0.5, 8.12) significantly less than other plant oils. There were no significant effects on Apo lipoprotein A1 and Apo lipoprotein B. Conclusion: This meta-analysis suggested that OO consumption decreased serum TC, LDL-c, and TG less but increased HDL-c more than other plant oils.

Keywords: Dyslipidemia; High-density lipoprotein cholesterol; Low-density lipoprotein cholesterol; Olive oil; Total cholesterol; Triacylglycerol.

Publication types

  • Meta-Analysis
  • Systematic Review

MeSH terms

  • Cholesterol / blood
  • Cholesterol, HDL / blood
  • Cholesterol, LDL / blood
  • Databases, Factual
  • Dyslipidemias / drug therapy
  • Food
  • Humans
  • Lipids / blood*
  • Olive Oil / therapeutic use*
  • Plant Oils / therapeutic use*
  • Triglycerides / blood

Substances

  • Cholesterol, HDL
  • Cholesterol, LDL
  • Lipids
  • Olive Oil
  • Plant Oils
  • Triglycerides
  • Cholesterol